It’s going to be brutally cold. Advantage: Packers. It’ll probably be a little uglier than expected but 2013 can become an even more special season if the Packers can exact revenge upon San Francisco in the brutal cold. The legend that is Aaron Rodgers grows stronger after the win.

“Jersey” Al Bracco

8-8

Green Bay Packers

28-27

Packers must be deadly efficient in the red zone scoring TDs not field goals. Defense has to force a few Niner field goals in the red zone.

Adam Czech

10-6

San Francisco 49ers

33-24

How are the likes of Andy Mulumba and M.D. Jennings supposed to stop Vernon Davis, Frank Gore and a bruising 49ers offense? Like they have all season, the Packers will fight until the end, but I don’t see this one ending well for the (frozen) home team.

Marques Eversoll

9-7

Green Bay Packers

30-27

This is the fifth time that a team (Packers) will host a playoff game against a team (49ers) with at least four more regular-season wins. The home team (with the worse record) came out on the winning side the previous four times. Who am I to pick against history? The Packers win and live to see another week.

Thomas Hobbes

8-8

Green Bay Packers

27-21

For all that the Packers rely on Aaron Rodgers, this game really is about Eddie Lacy; the Packers have tried 3 times to beat the 49ers through the air without a real semblance of a running game and the 49ers defense is good enough to cover their secondary weakness when an offense is one dimensional. If Lacy can keep the defense honest, the Packers will have a shot winning.

Cory Jennerjohn

12-4

San Francisco 49ers

31-23

The 49ers have the distinct advantage on the offensive and defensive line. And since this game will be played in biblical polar conditions, the big boys up front will win or lose the game. The biggest nightmare for Dom Capers should be Vernon Davis. He is healthy and virtually unguardable, especially with the linebackers the Packers have. The Packers must play mistake-free football to stay close.

Jason Perone

8-8

Green Bay Packers

27-24

I’m picking this one with my heart and not my head. On paper, San Francisco has too many pots on the stove for this marginal Packers defense. Tend to one and three others boil over. Fortunately, similar can be said about the Packers offense, led by Aaron Rodgers. The 49ers secondary is the one area that can be exploited and Rodgers finds a way in the freezing cold to do enough to get a huge wild card win.

Chad Toporski

8-8

San Francisco 49ers

34-32

Until the Packers can prove otherwise, this 49ers team is their kryptonite. It will come down to the Packers defense, who has to face Kaepernick, Gore, Davis, Boldin, and Crabtree. The offense will keep it close, but will be a 2-point conversion away from sending it into overtime.

Who distinguishes themselves to propel the Pack to victory? I say Micah Hyde on defense(helping cover Davis) and Quarless on offense, (helping keep a few drives alive down the middle.). GB 27 – SF24 GoPack!

I too hope you eat those words Dave. I’m getting more and more confident the closer we get. Going to enjoy the spectacle, regardless of the outcome. Of course, the pitcher of margarita’s will come in handy. GoPack!

The Packers barely beat the Bears, even with Rodgers. The defense is terrible. And the 49ers are the exact type of team the Packers haven’t been able to beat the last few seasons.

But, I’m still picking the Packers.

Not sure why. Maybe, it’s that the football gods seem to be controlling the weather. It could be that the gap between the two seemed to close a bit week one. Or it could just be blind optimism. Either way, go Pack! I’ll be cheering hard on Sunday!

As I mentioned on a post yesterday, this game depends on the Packers offense, early scores, before 9ers adjust to cold, then TOP with Lacy and Starks. Keep SF offense off the field. Defense needs to get some TOs and some 3 and outs. Stop SF run game. Our offense is our strength, they need to control this game. Maybe some of the ghosts of Lambeau show up. Nitschke would be nice. Pack 28-SF 17. Go Pack Go! Thanks, Since ’61

The game Sunday stunk. Bad Ref’s! Not calling fouls. SF was holding the receivers hands so they can’t catch the ball. But, that’s only part of it. The defense was not even there. The offense
was not protecting Mr. Rogers. Only a few showed up to play. Go Green Bay

It comes down to turnovers, special teams and what can the packers do on defense to stop the run and create turnovers. The packers have been horrible in all these areas, so my pick to win is naturally the PACKERS – not even that close. The combination of messed up weather, a Walden-esque huge performance from an unexpected source like Richardson, Burnett or Mulumba coupled with dom capers pulling a game plan out of his hinder to save his job will keep the 9ers in check. Count on the mules up front, AROD, Jordy and the wideouts, Lacy, Starks and the continued inspired performance of Quarless to lead the charge. Cobb evokes the memories of Desmond Howard and Travis Williams on a return or two. AND MM is out of the funk and continues on his roll of dazzling and swashbucking play calling. AND our secret edge – some shirtless, Green-painted fans overdosed on playoff mania and Captain Morgan will provide all the extra inspiration needed to tell our team “hey, its really not that cold in here”. It is the perfect winter storm, and Harbaugh’s little dingy will sink like a stone when the 9ers feel the temps dialed all the way to quick freeze in the Lambeau walk-in cooler. This is Lambeau, where the spirits of Lombardi and Hinkle and Nitscke and Hutson and Jordan roam! It is too much for the niners to overcome! It is more than enough to counter the supposed tough guy, but really a whiney-baby coach, whose contorted face hopefully will be permanently, and grotesquely frozen in place by the 3rd quarter.

I have at least one more day to enjoy these images before they expire.

As a Packer homer my judgement might be cloudy to totally delusional, I might even need to take my meds. But this is the playoffs after all, and logic does not enter into the discussion.

The Niners, just like the Giants, are a team which the Packers have not fared well against in recent times. I think the only way the Packers win this game is if the Niners give them turnovers which turn into points. Our defense will not be able to stop them. So, we also have to have the edge in time of possession. I see this as a Niner win, and I think the score will be something like 33 to 27.

Logically, I just can’t see a Packers win. Not with our defense and with the play calling of DC/MM. And I think the cold even favors the 49rs because they are built like the Pack of the Glory Years. Should the Pack somehow will themselves to a win, it will be their biggest victory since their 2010 SB win. My heart is with the Green ‘n Gold as always but my money will be riding on the complete team from the city on the bay.

ps – I live in NY and my two favorite cities to visit are Green Bay and San Fran. GB during training camp and SF in late SEP before the rainy season moves in.

The “legend” that is Aaron Rodgers??? LOL. Come on man. Rodgers is a great QB, but are Packers fans still so infected with an inferiority complex in regards to Favre leaving Green Bay that they need to resort to calling Rodgers a “legend” to overcome their sense of loss? Rodgers may be a “legend” someday, but not after only starting for 5 years and recently sitting out half a season. I mean, does the sound of “the legend of Drew Brees” sound right? No, it kinda makes you chuckle a little bit, just like it does with Rodgers. Both good QBs in similar fashions, but nothing legendary about them. If you want to refer to Favre, Peyton Manning, or even Brady as legends, that’s valid. But with Rodgers, you need to get over trying use him as a replacement for Favre. It comes across like you’re trying to make up for a tiny penis.

Dobber, the game WILL be decided by who can complete a few big plays in the passing game. I think both teams are going to be grinding it out on the ground. If we can limit their passing game in long 3rd down situations, that will be huge. I think Rodgers will handle it better than Kaep. GoPack!

LOL Dobber. Sometimes I think being an irrational packer backer is half of the fun. Anyway the meds just consist of a strong beverage or two (or more). Its great to have an extended 2013 packer ride, the entertainment, and the irrational for another week. I’ll be screaming at the TV like they can hear me. Hope you enjoy the game from where you are. Go Pack Go!

Russell, I think the pack can hang in there too. I hope you’re right about the outcome. We’ve got at least one extra packer game this year when there’s no sensible rationale for us being in the playoffs other than it was just meant to be. Got my fingers crossed that there is another one meant to be. Why not? If not, I hope its a good game. Hope you enjoy it from where you are! Go Pack!